XXX REPORT. 
At Tickenhall there is a small alms dish of pewter, now in use, nine inches 
in diameter. 
At Osmaston-by-Derby there is a chalice, a flagon, and an alms basin, all 
of pewter, of the year 1629, but not now used. 
At Monyash, a pewter paten and alms basin are still used ; and at Hartshorn 
there is a pewter flagon of the year 1638 still in use. There is a disused 
pewter paten at Sawley, and there are various pewter plates at S. John the 
Baptist Chapel, at Belper. There is also a pewter alms dish in use at Wilne. 
Surely we ought to be careful—and irrespective of the reverence due to 
sacred things, pewter has its own history, its own marks, its own occasional 
beauty of shape or of engraved design—that such vessels as these, though of 
nferior metal, are not carelessly discarded or suffered to be put to base uses 
where they will soon pass into oblivion. JI am glad to say that I have been 
instrumental in one case in this county in recovering a large pewter church 
flagon frém the village ‘‘public,” and it is now used in supplying water for the 
font. Careful inquiry in our country parishes would, I believe, result in the 
recovery of many of these flagons or other pewter vessels that once were put 
to so sacred a use. I would suggest to the clergy that where they have 
several discarded pewter vessels pertaining to the church, that are not rendered 
interesting from any inscription, engraving, or peculiarity of design, that a 
good way of using up the material for a sacred purpose would be to have the 
metal re-cast by a careful pewterer into a font ewer, for the purpose of supply- 
ing water at Holy Baptism. But I only suggest this where there seems any 
real fear of such vessel being secularised or misappropriated. Their careful 
preservation, however uninteresting they may seem to be, should surely com- 
mend itself most to us, whether as archzeologists or Churchmen. The Bishop 
of Carlisle, in his Christmas Pastoral for 1880, did not think it beneath his 
notice to formally address his clergy on this subject. His Lordship said :— 
“Tt is very desirable that pewter vessels ‘which have been used fer the 
purposes of the Holy Communion should be carefully preserved, even when 
their place has been taken by silver utensils; there is a temptation to neglect 
them as of no value; but there is much of historical interest attaching to these 
pewter vessels, and they deserve a place in the treasury of the parish to which 
they belong.” 
This society is not a religious one, and is therefore in no direct sense in- 
terested in the promotion of greater reverence in the keeping and use of that 
which is essential to the due celebration of the mysteries of the Christian 
faith ; but as our chief object, according to our rules, is ‘‘to preserve the 
archzeology of the county," it may not be out of place for me to speak very briefly 
on the subject of the episcopal consecration of Church Plate, and the great 
desirability of its continuance. I do not, then, now say a word on the religious 
advantage of compliance with a usage that can be proved to have commended 
